the witch and the dark lord
by claudeath17
Summary: More than two decades after the king disappeared, Kyoko journeys to become a powerful magician to take revenge on the duke and face the dark lord who was spreading terror in the kingdom. Join her as she finds power, friendship and love along the way.
1. Prologue: where, when, why it all began

Hi! Thank you for those who had read my first story. This is now my second fanfic and it will be a series. I hope you will like it. Please read and review.

Disclaimer: I don't own Skip Beat! I'm just borrowing the characters from the manga.

Prologue: Where, when, why it all began…

Long ago, during the time when magic and power still subsists and flourishes, there was a kingdom ruled by a good and powerful king. Though he was young, he was capable and wise. For many years, the kingdom prospered under his rule and thus, it was the golden age. His subjects remained loyal and the people lived in peace and bounty.

Little did they know that their prosperity would soon end with the arrival of a seemingly delightful invitation for the king to a banquet with the rulers of the other kingdoms. After a week of preparation, the people watched as their king and his guards left for the gathering, leaving the kingdom's affairs to his most trusted adviser. When the gathering ended, the king sent a message of his return. The people rejoiced and prepared for the coming of their ruler. A few weeks passed before a messenger arrived bringing the mournful news of their king's disappearance. It was heard that his party was attacked by a group of bandits on their way back to the kingdom. Their carriage was destroyed, and the king's men were slaughtered though the corpse of the king was not found amongst them.

Distress overcame the kingdom as the news of the king's death was spread even to the farthest towns and valleys and the people mourned for their king. However, that, too, was short-lived, as dukes and nobles began to fight over as to who should take the throne. The kingdom was swallowed by chaos as civil wars ensued and the kingdom plunged to darkness. But as one dared to wear the crown, a great cloud covered the kingdom and lightning fell to leave a message: Only he who is the king by blood and flesh, shall ever wear the crown. A powerful spell prevented the throne from being taken, seeping the life out of those who dared to sit on it. The kingdom remained without a king and then, began the Dark Age.


	2. Chapter 1: the duke's betrayal

Thank you for reading! Please read and review.

Disclaimer: I don't own Skip Beat! I'm just borrowing characters from the manga.

Chapter 1: The Duke's Betrayal

A small figure in dark hooded cloak strode along the dark empty street. The rain had just stopped and the sun had long set. With hurried stepped, the person turned to a narrow alley which led to one of the most feared places in the old city. Reaching the end of the alley, the figure ran with top speed to the eerie brick house on a small hill just beyond the old clock tower. Pushing the wooden door open, the person entered a dark room, lit only by three candles placed on top of the round table.

"What is the matter, Maria?" a voice sounded from the left side of the room. A black-haired maiden appeared and was walking towards her.

Maria took off her black cloak. "Onee-san! We must leave! We must leave! The people are planning to kill you! They believe that you were the one to blame for the girl's death!"

"Calm down, Maria. They cannot harm me. The duke had promised to protect us. There is nothing to worry about," she simply told her. She took her little sister's hands and began to lead her to the round wooden table in the center of the room.

"No!" Maria protested as she frantically pulled her older sister's hands. "It's the duke who had told them that it was your doing. We can no longer trust him. Please, Kyoko-neesan, we have to go."

However, no matter the pleadings of the young girl, Kyoko was not persuaded. She believed in the duke and she knew he would never betray her. He was the reason why Kyoko and Maria were there. "That's impossible. Shoutaro would never do that. He cares for us."

"You're wrong. I heard him. He only wanted to use you, your magic. Nee-san-" the little girl stopped short and frantically looked at the door as she heard loud footsteps and shouts. "Oh, no. Nee-san we must run, now!"

Surprised and a bit scared, Kyoko hurriedly took her sister to the other room and exited the backdoor. They ran with all their might away from the house before the people with torches reached the top of the hill. The people burned the cottage even before the sisters can lose sight of it. They hurried in the dark forest.

"Where are we going?" Maria asked as she panted. Tears were falling from her eyes as they ran. It was painful to see her home burned down by enraged townfolks who didn't know the truth.

"We're going to see the duke," Kyoko answered, tightening her hold on her sister's hand when she felt Maria pulled back. But the little girl no longer ran and Kyoko had to stop and look at her crying face.

Shaking her head, Maria cried, "No! We can't go there!"

"But, Maria! I need to know the truth." Kyoko reasoned. _I need to know that Shoutaro didn't betray us. He wouldn't do this to me._

"I am telling the truth!" the girl whimpered, crying so hard.

Kyoko would not bend. She needed to go and see him. However, she couldn't bring Maria with her as the little girl was convinced that the duke had betrayed them. So, she brought Maria in one of the secret cottages in the woods and there they rested. When the young girl fell asleep, Kyoko casted a protective spell on the cottage and set out to the duke's mansion.

Discreetly, she entered the mansion, hiding in the shadows and searching for the master of the lavishly ornamented home. It was late already and most of the servants had gone to bed so it was easy for her to walk undetected along the halls. She was on her way to his room, believing that he was already asleep when she noticed that there was light from the study. Quietly, she walked to the slightly opened door, only to stop short as she heard a woman's voice coming from the room.

"Is it really fine for you to just abandon her after all that she had done for you? Remember, it was because of her healing potion that you were able to gain the people's favor," the woman's voice said.

"It's fine. It was her job. That was why I brought her here in the first place," said a voice Kyoko knew so well. Kyoko stood there, surprised and hurt.

"You told the people it was her who killed girl. Aren't you afraid of what she might do to you once she realized that you had betrayed her?" the woman questioned.

Kyoko heard a chuckle. "I don't have to worry. I'm sure you can protect me. You're my sorceress, afterall. So, why don't we just spend the night in my room?" the duke said in a seductive voice which enraged Kyoko.

Unable to restrain herself, she stormed into the room to find the duke leaning to kiss a beautiful, pink-haired woman. Both were startled by her entrance and Kyoko threw a vial of black liquid towards the duke. Unfortunately, the sorceress quickly created a barrier that protected them from the black potion and it was spilled on the floor, releasing a dark smoke before disappearing.

The duke laughed as he looked at her, the dark-haired witch he brought there two years ago. Smug, he told her, "You're work here is done."

"No, it's not," she cast a spell that would have made him writhe in agony but was countered by the sorceress beside him. "I'll take revenge on you!" she yelled in frustration.

"Only if you can touch me. But as it is, you cannot defeat my enchanting protector. You're just too weak," he laughed.

Kyoko would have tried to cast a spell again but the sorceress released a strong wave that sent her flying out of the study room. Hurt both physically and emotionally, she got up to her feet only to be swallowed by a dark force from the sorceress that made her lose consciousness.


	3. Chapter 2: the witch kyoko

Thank you for those who had read and liked the story. Here is the next chapter of The Witch and the Dark Lord. This chapter will be focusing on Kyoko's thoughts as I want to establish her hatred for Shou. Enjoy and Please read and review.

Disclaimer: I don't own skip beat! I'm just borrowing characters from mangas.

Chapter 2: The Witch Kyoko

There was a throbbing in her head and her body was in pain. Slowly, Kyoko opened her eyes and found herself lying on the trail a half mile away from the border of the dark forest. Slowly, she got up and wiped away the dirt on her face. The rain was falling heavily on her and she shivered violently from the cold. She hugged herself for warmth; she felt weak and vulnerable. There was no way to tell the time and she wondered how long she had been unconscious. There was something tugging in her memory which she deliberately tried to ignore lest the pain in her chest comes back and bring an uncontrollable wave of tears to her eyes. She was resolved not to let any tear fall. Still shaking, she moved towards the dark forest, knowing that Maria was in the cottage still waiting for her and probably, worrying. Her steps were heavy and dragged, her body trembling uncontrollably.

Every step she took was a torture that brings back the memories of her last visit to the duke. Kyoko remembered the smug smile on his face when he cut her off from his life. His mocking laugh when she failed to harm him rang in every part of her brain. She couldn't forget the humiliation when she was thrown out by the sorceress. But even more than that, she can't help the anger boiling inside her as she realized that the sorceress pitied her. That was why she was here. The dark force that overwhelmed her transported her out of the mansion and into the corner of the forest. Kyoko can bear being hated because she hated them too. She can deal with their smugness because it gave her reason to loath them more. But being pitied… she couldn't take it.

After taking five short steps, she fell down on her knees, tired and defeated. She clutched her chest afraid that she will fall apart in pieces. The pain in her heart was too much to bear. Overcame by her agony, tears began to flow no matter how much she tried to stop them.

"It's just too much," she sobbed. "Why are these tears flowing? Stop…stop." But her tears continued to flow. She couldn't remember when the last time she cried but she knew that she needed to stop. As the tears flowing down her face mixed with the rain, she promised that this will be the only time that her tears will flow for the duke, for Shou. Not far from where she was, the duke's mansion, sitting on top of a hill was looking down on her. Taking a deliberate turn, she gazed at the large mansion sitting atop the hill, still visible and standing proudly. Ignoring the ache of her whole body, she stood up and said with all her might, "I swear I'll never fall in love again. I'll never let anyone touch my heart." And from then on she kept her heart under lock and key.

With her resolve, she walked towards the dark forest under the heavy rain, knowing that the first thing she must do was to return to Maria. She fought against the cold and the weariness that creeps into her system. She struggled against the memories that flowed into her mind, memories of her journey with Shou to the town, the times she spent with him. Kyoko didn't want to remember but she couldn't allow herself to forget. To forget would mean to kill her hatred for the man and that she can't allow happening. So, she continued on, walking her way deeper into the forest until she reached the cottage where she had left Maria.

Kyoko hurriedly removed the spell that protected the cottage and entered. She was relieved to see that Maria was still sleeping in the long wooden bench where she left her. Kyoko wondered if Maria had awaken and didn't find her there. She went to brush the little girl's hair and Maria stirred from her sleep.

"Onee-san?" Maria got up and threw her arms around her sister ignoring the fact that Kyoko was dripping from the rain.

"It's alright, Maria. Everything's going to be alright," Kyoko comforted and took her sister's arms so that she will not get wet. She looked into Maria's eyes and knew that her little sister knew where she had been.

"What are we going to do now?" the child softly said as tears began to roll down her eyes.

Kyoko couldn't answer. They had nowhere left to go and they have nothing with them, no clothes, no food, and no money. But it is her responsibility to look after her sister. She also wanted to become stronger, more powerful so that she will be able to take revenge on the duke.

"We must leave, Maria."

"But where will we go?"

Where? They can go anywhere but they can stay nowhere. So, she decided they will travel, from one town to another. She will gather knowledge and provide for Maria until they both become strong enough that no one will ever be able to hurt them again.

"To the next town. Starting from now, we will travel and learn and become powerful wizards so that no one will ever harm us again," she answered Maria's question with resolve. Though, she was terrified for both of them, she prepared for their journey and together with Maria took their first step into what awaits them.

Side Story: A Little Trip into the Past

Kyoko momentarily stopped to look at the sky. The sun was already high so she figured it must be nearing noontime now. She hurried knowing that her sister and Obaa-san was waiting for her in their hut. She went out that morning to buy vegetables and herbs in the market.

The hut was located near the river that flowed towards the surrounding forest of the valley. Kyoko loved living there ever since she and Maria had been taken in by the witch-doctor after their mother had abandoned them. It's been three years since they had lived with her and they had begun to consider the petite woman their foster mother. Kyoko had learned many things from her: creating medicines for mild illnesses, extracting poison from wounds, and even a small bit of magic. Obaa-san always said that it is important for her to know such thing because they might come handy in the years to come. Kyoko enjoyed learning and continued to improve.

"I'm home!" Kyoko announced the moment she opened the door.

"Welcome back, Kyoko. How was your trip to town?" the golden-haired woman said as she was preparing the table for lunch. Seated on one of the wooden chair was Maria.

"It was fine. I got all the things you asked me to buy," she answered and made her way towards the kitchen to put her basket there.

"Thank you," Obaa-san took her seat and waited for Kyoko. When Kyoko sat down beside her, she handed her the plate full of grilled meat. They ate while occasionally having short conversations until they had filled their stomach.

When Kyoko was done with her chores, she slipped off to the river bank. There she found a blonde boy sitting on the bank, his feet on the water, throwing pebbles into the river. When she approached him, he turned and smiled smugly at her.

"Shou, why are you here?" the black-haired girl asked as she sat beside him.

"Just killing time," the boy answered.

"You'll be leaving again tomorrow, right?" Kyoko asked with apparent sadness.

"Yeah."

"Will you come back again next summer?"

"I guess so. My parent loves to be here every summer," Shou stated.

"When you come back, let's play again, okay?" Kyoko said with a smile. Shou nodded and they silently sat there playing with the water at their feet.

Three years later, Obaa-san disappeared. Shou returned in the autumn, asking for Kyoko's help to win the favor of his town and become the new duke.


	4. Chapter 3: the next town

Disclaimer: I don't own Skip Beat!

I apologize for taking too long to upload another chapter. I hope you enjoy reading. Thank you. Please read and review

Chapter 3: The Next Town

The sun had already set when Kyoko and Maria finally reached the border of the next town. Completely tired and covered with dirt, the sisters made their way to the main road that led to the wooden gate of the town. As they approached, Kyoko noticed that the road was full of other travelers and merchants who were also hurrying to enter the gate. She held Maria's hand tightly to make sure they won't get separated in the crowd. When at last, they had entered, Kyoko was relieved. Together, they searched silently for an inn where they can stay for the night.

She was glad that she had saved quite a lot out of the money she earned during her two-year stay in _that_ place. Though she cannot afford to get a luxurious room for them, considering that she still doesn't know how long they will have to travel, she search for a decent room to stay for the night. Asking the people around for directions, they were lead to a brick building in the east side of town that offers affordable rooms to travelers. The siblings approached the receptionist, paid for a night's stay, got a key room and proceeded to room 112.

"Onee-chan, what do we do now?" Maria asked after sitting down on the single bed. She was tired and sad and afraid.

Kyoko went to sit beside her sister and held her hand. "We're going to travel and see the world, Maria. Don't you want that?" she told the girl. A long time ago, they were lying on the grass behind their foster mother's cottage, talking about how much they want to travel around the world see different things. Somehow the memory seemed to be from a long, long time ago.

Maria was silent for a while. She had wanted that. She had dreamed of it. But she knows that it was not really why they were here. They were not chasing their childhood dream. Her sister was walking away from her pain and into the path of revenge. And she's worried. "I'm afraid," she admitted. _For a lot of reasons._

Maria might be young, a child in the eyes of others, but Kyoko knew she wasn't clueless. They've been through a lot which made Maria mature earlier than other kids and she is smart. Kyoko knew that she knew what had been running in her mind during the silent moments of their trip.

"We're going to be alright," she comforted Maria and probably herself too. She was also afraid. Things might be easy for her had she been alone but she have a younger sister she must protect and provide for. But never will she leave Maria, she's the only one she got now. The only one who cares for her.

"Can't we go back to Obaa-san's cottage? You can be a witch-doctor there, just like Obaa-san was," Maria told Kyoko though she knew there was a small chance to convince her.

Kyoko deliberated for a moment. They can return but they don't know if the cottage was still there. The folks there might not welcome them anymore. There is also the possibility that the duke had already been there, spreading bad words about her. After all, he would be thinking that a girl like her who had nowhere to go will probably head back to the only familiar place. Kyoko gritted her teeth in anger. _That arrogant son of a bitch. I'm going to kill him._

She was pulled out of her dark thoughts by Maria's touch. "Onee-chan…"

Kyoko sighed. "I'm sorry, Maria. We can't do that. The duke might think that we went back there after being chased away and might be telling the people all the bad things he can say about me. We may not be welcome there anymore. At the same time, we're not sure if the cottage is still there."

The young girl nodded. Kyoko instructed her to rest for the meantime and not to worry. "Everything's going to be fine," she told the blonde girl. Maria gave her sister a hug before lying down to sleep, she was drained out of energy because of their long travel, Kyoko beside her.

...

It was still early in the evening and he sat in the cavern, silently sipping wine. He was trying so hard to be discreet, in fact he was hoping no one will notice him in the dimly lighted cavern. However, he thought he was completely failing. For the past hour alone, several girls had tried to speak with him and he had politely turned all of them down with a polite smile, expressing that he wanted to be alone. A good ten minutes have passed now since the last girl had left him and he was certain that several pair of eyes were looking to his direction. It annoyed him a lot but he ignored it all. Then he heard a set of light footsteps walking towards him. He's been hearing a lot of it for the last hour to know that a woman had mustered courage to approach him.

"Umm… Good evening," she greeted in flirting tone but he didn't respond or even turned to face her. "Is it alright if I sit here?" she inquired.

He was fed up by this cycle and he was meaning to ignore her but the woman remained standing too close for his liking. He was resisting the urge to give her a snappy remark, he wouldn't want to upset someone, right? After all, he is a gentle person. Or so he convinced himself.

The woman, a confident blonde meaning to get him to notice her, sat beside him. "You're not from here, right?" Still, he ignored her, didn't even spare her a glance. But she wasn't giving up just yet. "Are you alone?" she leaned closer to him.

"No, he is not," a male voice came from behind them said and she turned to see a blonde man wearing a pair of glasses, smiling politely at her. "And I think it would be nice of you to leave before you upset him. You wouldn't want that," he added.

The woman grumbled something about boring men, then left. The blonde man took her seat and ordered a glass of wine.

"You're really popular with girls, aren't you?" the blonde said to the black-haired man sitting silently to his left. "But even the Great Ren, who was a symbol of spring and gentleness can be fed up at times, isn't it right?"

"Yashiro-san, not everyone has a perfect mood all the time, isn't that right?" Ren turned to his companion and gave him a kind smile even if he was still in a bad mood. Deception, after all, was one of the main things he had mastered through the years and he was born with a great skill in it.

Should he show a faint glint of that gentleman smile to girls, women, and even a few others, no matter how fake it was , they would never know and would swoon all over him. Yashiro had stayed long enough to know how easily Ren can capture the hearts of all those women around him.

"I was walking around town and a certain rumor that the dark lord had been seen around the place had been going around," Yashiro informed him which caused the smile to vanish, replaced by a thoughtful look. "The governor had ordered the search for the dark lord. The people seem to be alarmed about it."

"Indeed. That is something to worry about," Ren commented.

"We wouldn't want to be in his range," Yashiro said with a chuckle. "It's getting dangerous here, don't you think?"

"I guess you're right. It seems that we can finish our purpose here tonight. Why don't we leave tomorrow?" he took a long sip of his wine left a bill on the counter and turned to Yashiro. "I'll be going back to the hotel now." Having said that, he stood and made his way out of the crowded cavern. He entered the red-brick building went up to the third floor, stopping at room 112. He took out his key.

...

Kyoko was awakened by the sound of the door being turned. She got up, alert, her sharp eyes focused on the room door. Suddenly, the rattling stopped. Then it began again, someone was trying hard to open the bedroom door.

Silently, Kyoko got up pulled a vial from her pocket and headed towards the door. She prepared to blow the face of whoever was trying to break in to their room. She yanked the door open and was surprised to see an equally surprised face of a black-haired girl.

"What do you want? Why are you trying to open my room?" Kyoko questioned the girl.

"What? I'm the one who was supposed to ask you why you are in there. This is supposed to be my room," the girl told her, angrily glaring at her.

"No. I had paid for this room," Kyoko stood her ground. "And my key number was 112. So this is my room." It was then that she saw the shock in the girl's face.

"112 was my key number, too," she claimed and glanced on the silver key in her hand. She turned the rectangular bar and stared at the number engraved on it. She gulped. _121_, it said. She glanced back to Kyoko who was looking at her key, too. She quickly pocketed it, blushing lightly due to the embarrassment she was feeling. "It seems like I had mistaken the number on my key. It was a long day. Goodbye." Then, she stalked away.

Kyoko could only shake head at the girl before closing the door. She placed the vial back into her pocket. It was a good thing that she didn't throw the vial directly into her face as soon as she opened the door. But she was certainly annoyed that the girl didn't even apologize to her.

"What was that?" Maria asked her, awakened by the arguing of her sister with a stranger.

Kyoko went back to bed and told her, "Nothing. Let's get back to sleep."

...

On the opposite side of the town, far from where Kyoko and her sister were staying, a man glanced on his watch. _An hour before midnight, the end of the day. _Ren got up from the bed and slowly opened the hotel room window. _A purpose to accomplish._ Swiftly, he jumped out of it, whispering a spell to cushion his fall. There was only a low thump as his feet touched the ground.

" Finally, the hour we've been waiting for," Yashiro calmly said as he walked towards Ren. "You're on time as always."

"I'm glad to hear that. We wouldn't want to be late for a very important appointment," they began to run swiftly along the shadows of the sleeping city, creating no noticeable noise. They must reach the huge house located near the middle of the town before midnight strikes.

A few minutes later, they arrived at the golden gate of the mansion where the governor lives. With a mutter of a spell, all the guards fell to the ground, unconscious, the locked gate opened without as much as a creak, admitting the two wizards into the estate. It was a dismay for Ren. This would be the same as every other break-in they had done before. He thought they might have prepared something to surprise him, probably an sorcerer who would try to stop them from invading the mansion since his presence in the town had already been suspected. However, there was nothing but a hundred of guards who can't even guard themselves from simple sleeping spells.

He made his way to the governor's room hoping that his host wouldn't mind the unexpected visit.


	5. Chapter 4: just a train ride

Disclaimer: I don't own Skip beat! or any other manga.

For all those who have read my story, Thank you! For all those who read my story and gave a review, Thank you so much! Here's the new chapter of the witch and the dark lord. Hope you enjoy it. Please read and review.

Chapter 4: Just A Train Ride

"Good morning," Kyoko softly greeted as the little girl rubbed her eyes. The blonde girl groggily got up and looked at her onee-chan with a smile.

"How was your sleep?" the older sister asked.

Maria nodded. "I had a good sleep." Just then she noticed that her sister was pouring a dark-green liquid into one of the vials that she was carrying around. The bottle must have come from somewhere within the hotel because she had never seen Kyoko use it before. Curious, she asked, "Ne, Onee-chan, what's that?"

After carefully setting the bottle down and recapping the vial, Kyoko replied, "It's medicine for wounds and burns. On our way here, I noticed a lot of useful herbs that I can use for my potions so I gathered them discreetly. We'll be on a journey for long and we don't know what we'll come across. So it's best to be prepared."

Maria came to her side studying the new mixture she was creating. Maria recognized the plant as one of those that their foster mother had used in making anesthetics. She looked at the three vials filled with liquids of different colors and the two empty ones. "Do you also have poisons?" she asked.

The question startled Kyoko but the mixture in her hand was not spilled. She deliberated for a moment on her answer before giving a nod. "We also need to defend ourselves. These are dangerous times after all. I have learned a few things we can use for defense." She then looked at Maria and added, "Don't worry. I also made an antidote."

Maria watched Kyoko, learning silently. After finishing her work, Kyoko set the vials aside. She swiftly cleared her things and got up. "Let's go out to eat. Then we'll buy a few clothes for our trip." Maria silently agreed and the sisters went out of their room.

"Is there anything you want to eat?" Kyoko asked her younger sister.

"A slice of meat and egg," Maria answered.

_We'll be on the road for several days. It won't hurt to have a good meal before a long journey. Who knows when we're going to find another restaurant that sells good meat and egg, _Kyoko thought as she lead Maria to the restaurant beside the hotel. They entered and found that the whole place was almost full. Fortunately, they found a table good for four near the counter which was newly emptied by its last occupants. Kyoko told Maria to sit there and wait for her then she went to order their food. On line she noticed that the people were agitatedly talking about some "unfortunate event". Curious, she listened to the conversation of two old men.

"So, they found the governor dead in his office with a black mark: a circle surrounded by another black outline with a diamond dangling at the bottom," the older man said in a low, worried voice.

"Hey, isn't that the symbol of the dark lord?" his companion reacted. "It was him who killed the governor?"

"He snuck in the mansion in the dead of the night. Not even a hundred guards can stop him. He's one terrifying monster," the man said.

"That's fifty-four _argent_ (the currency used in the kingdom)," the lady in the counter said, interrupting Kyoko from listening to the conversation. She handed the woman her payment and went back to where Maria was sitting. They spoke briefly about the commotion around them but later ate silently and when they finished their meal, Kyoko lead Maria to a boutique where they bought a change of clothes. After that, they went back to their room.

"Are we going to leave now?" Maria asked as Kyoko placed their things in a backpack.

"Yes. The next town is quite far and the land surrounding the valley is dangerous because there are many bandits, so we're going to ride the train," Kyoko answered. She pocketed three of the concoctions she was mixing that morning while the others she carefully inserted in the bag's outer pocket.

The train station was not far from where the siblings were staying and though they had not been able to board the first train because it was already full, they didn't have to wait long for the next train. When, the next train opened for its passengers, Maria and Kyoko took the last row of seat in that train car. Each row had three seats on each side of the aisle. Maria sat beside the window; Kyoko placed her backpack in a space above them before taking her seat. Not long after the sisters were comfortably seated, the train was already almost filled with people, though the seat beside Kyoko was still unoccupied.

Kyoko was surprised when a black-haired girl occupied the seat beside her.

"You!" they chorused, surprising Maria and some other close-by passengers.

After the initial shock of seeing the girl who tried to break into their room last night, Kyoko decided to just let it go. The girl didn't speak about it; she didn't say anything to Kyoko again.

All seats were already occupied and the train was still not moving for almost half an hour already. It was scheduled to leave twenty minutes ago. When the door opened, a team of three soldiers and a man wearing a black robe entered. They apologized for holding up the departure of the train and disturbing the passengers and said that they need to facilitate an inspection. When they found nothing suspicious, they apologized once more to the passengers and left. A minute later, the train began to move.

"It seems the town is quite troubled," Kyoko noted.

The girl beside her hesitated in answering but finally decided to reply. "The governor was found dead in his study this morning. They said that it was the work of the dark lord; he was sighted in town just a few days ago," she informed her.

"Who is this dark lord?" Kyoko inquired.

The girl beside her was astonished by her ignorance. "Where the hell did you come from that you don't know what's going on?" Kyoko lowered her head in embarrassment so she explained, "The dark lord is a powerful sorcerer who hunts those who rule in towns and cities in the kingdom. News about him began to spread from the east six months ago."

"Why did he kill the governor?" Kyoko asked, aware now of how ignorant she had been and trying to find out what was happening in the kingdom.

"How would I know? Probably the same reason why he killed the duke from the easternmost valley and three other governors from succeeding towns," the girl replied, wondering why she continues to entertain the questions of the girl beside her.

"Could he be killing them for money or such?" she wondered.

The black-haired girl shook her head. "There was never anything stolen from anyone who was killed so far so the guards and officers don't consider stealing as a motive," the girl told her.

"I see." Kyoko thought for a moment until she remembered that she hasn't introduced herself yet. "Oh, how rude of me! I'm Kyoko and this is my sister Maria," she gestured to the little girl who was looking out the train window.

The other girl hesitated again. Finding that there really is no harm introducing herself, she said, "I'm Kanae."

With a radiant smile Kyoko answered, "I'm pleased to meet you, Kanae."

Kanae may have thought that is just a trivial meeting and Kyoko might have believed that this acquaintanceship will end when the train reaches its destination. Little did they know that there is a deeper bond between them which brings them closer even if they may be separated now. After all, nothing is just a coincidence.

...

When the last guard had disembarked the train, Yashiro said in a low voice, so as not to be heard by the other passengers, "You really like making a fool out of them, don't you?"

A smirk appeared on the face of the black-haired man beside him. "All for fun. At the same time, we can't walk from here to the next town. There are lots of bandits around, that's dangerous."

"Like you have to worry about that. If anything, they're the ones who should be worried about encountering you," Yashiro said.

Ren just laughed. The town is on alert because of what had happened to their governor and were searching every place for the culprit. Here he was, looking like a simple merchant catching a train to the next town. Is there really no one who can suspect who he really is?


	6. Chapter 5: the dark lord meets a witch

Disclaimer: I don't own Skip beat! or any other manga.

Chapter 4 and 5 are released together. Staying in the same town, riding the same train, it seems that Kyoko and Ren-sama's paths are getting closer to each other. Will they finally intersect or are they going to walk away without noticing each other again. Find out! Hope you enjoy it. Please read and review.

Chapter 5: the dark lord meets a young witch in town

When the two men arrived in the next town, they quickly arranged for their lodgings. Ren and Yashiro had decided not to stay long in the place since they had no mission here. No one to visit. Yashiro decided to stay in his room and probably get back the hours of sleep he lost during the night. Ren, however, wasn't tired and he wanted to look around. It was a nice idea to take a break once in a while. So he dropped his luggage in his hotel room and walked to the busy streets. But no matter how inconspicuous he tried to be, a lot of ladies would still glance at him and be amazed. He can't do anything about it. His height and graceful movements are something he can't conceal. But still he tried, though it's ineffective. In order to escape the glances that went his way, he quickly entered a shop.

The shop was filled with a lot of herbs, large jars containing different animals or parts of animals submerged in treated water. There were also stones, he knew, that were used in making magical contraptions. The shop was literally overflowing with things used for creating potions but the counter was empty. No one was there. Ren decided to leave but when he was about to open the door, a girl with flowing black hair entered and looked at him, surprised.

"Good morning," she greeted and bowed.

Ren returned the greeting with a smile that would have stunned and melted all the women around but the girl didn't even seem to mind it.

"Customers." An old voice came from the counter and they turned to look at the old man who stood there. "Welcome. How can I help you?"

The girl proceeded to the counter as Ren watched. She was young, probably sixteen or seventeen, though when her eyes met his a while ago, her gaze seemed so clear and wise, unfitting of her years. She wore a simple gray dress that reached her knees and a pair of old boots. Something about her held his attention but he couldn't pinpoint what.

"Sir, do you have a lizard's tail and scales of a rattlesnake?" she asked the old man who was kindly smiling at her.

"A young witch," the old man stated then he transferred his attention to the tall man standing near the door. The black-haired girl follow his gaze followed his gaze. "Ah…" the old man smiled after giving Ren a good look and walked out of the counter, slowly, towards the cabinet on the left of the side of the shop. The girl watched him as he opened one of the drawers and pulled a black pouch.

Ren decided to leave since he had nothing to do here but the old man saw him and said, "Wait, young man. If you wouldn't mind, can you please bring me that old jar containing the lizard's tail? I am old, you see and both my hands and knees are trembling. It would be such a labor to for me to get it."

"I can get it for you, ojii-san," she offered.

"No. I wouldn't mind," Ren smiled to the old man. He took the jar and walked towards them.

"Thank you," the old man responded and made his way back behind the counter. When Ren placed the jar on it, he said, "You are a kind boy, aren't you?"

Ren just smiled.

"Ojii-san, why do you still manage it here? Isn't there anyone who can help you?" the girl asked.

"You are a kind girl, too." The girl blushed, slighty embarrassed. "I live here for a long time now and alone. I still stay here since this is the only livelihood I have, the only thing I want to do." He opened the jar and pulled out a tail using a pair of forceps. He pulled a plastic container from within one of his drawers and carefully placed the tail inside. He handed both the items to the girl. "Here."

The girl took it from him. "How much do I have to pay, ojii-san?"

"Let's see. The snake's scale costs twenty five _argent_ while the lizard's tail costs ten. That's thirty-five for you, ojou-chan."

The girl reached into her wallet. She searched it for awhile. She began to panic and Ren figured that she may have lost her money.

"It's not here!" she was frantic now. "I'm sure I put in my pocket before I left my room!" she placed back the pouches that contained her purchase on the counter. Unexpectedly, she bowed in apology, surprising both Ren and the store owner. "I'm so sorry. Please, wait for a while. I'm going back to get some money to pay you. I'm so sorry."

There was a sound of coins chinking as they were placed on the counter. The girl looked up, surprised and confused. "Here, old man," he said as he pushed the coins and took the pouches. He handed it to her with a slight smile. She, however, wasn't pleased by the fact that he had paid for it and the chagrin was plain on her face.

"That is your purchase, not mine," she said sternly. The black-haired girl intended to walk out but Ren stopped her.

"Please, take it. I insist," he said kindly.

"I am capable of buying my own," she responded coldly.

"But for the time being, you are not," he told her. She looked angry and he could feel the malicious aura that threatened to surround him so he smiled a bit more and asked, "Do you enjoy turning down people's good intention?"

She was caught a bit off guard but she remained indignant. "I don't want to owe anyone."

"Well," he said, touching his cheek lightly as though he was thinking. "How about you take it for now, and I'll accompany you to your place to take the payment," he offered.

"That won't do," she strongly opposed.

"Would you rather to run to where you stay and hurry back here again? That would be a waste of both time and effort, don't you think?" he asked.

"Yes," she said, resolute.

The old man who was watching them the whole time, smiled. "It's fine, don't you think, ojou-chan?" both turned to look at him: she was shocked that he sided with the man, while the other just pleasantly smiled. "Though I really wouldn't mind having to wait, but the young man has a point."

She glared at him but he only smiled which annoyed her a bit more. She finally signed. He handed the pouches to her again, this time, she took it. "I'm going to pay you for this."

He nodded though he found the statement quite interesting. It wasn't what you would say to someone you owe but someone you have a grudge on. He chuckled lowly which earned him a narrow-eyed glare. Ren cleared his throat.

"Ojii-san, I'm sorry for the bother," she told the old man.

"Don't mind it. Have a good day. Both of you." He responded.

The girl turned to leave. Ren followed her out after taking note of the meaningful look the old man discreetly gave him. Maybe Ren would have to pay him a visit.

She was quiet all the way, striding in order to keep him in a distance. But Ren's long legs enabled him to catch up to her without any problems. Even when he caught up to her, she didn't bother to talk to him. So he matched her steps and was surprised when she headed to the same hotel he had checked-in to. Still, he didn't say anything about it as she remained silent while they headed to her room. Finally she stopped at door 203.

"Please wait here." She entered the room and a minute later returned with money in hand.

"Here's my payment," she said.

Ren took it as his cue to leave so he took the money, not that he needed to be paid but knew that it would just throw her into an angry fit if he refused, and was about to leave when the black-haired girl bowed to thank him.

"Thank you, for helping me out. Although I didn't ask for it, nevertheless, thank you," she said so sincerely that Ren was astounded. He thought she was angry that he helped her so he didn't expect any gratitude from her.

"It's nothing," he may not have been aware that his expression softened considerably that she was almost stunned by the sheer brightness of that true smile. As he turned to walk away he wondered at how pure hearted that young witch is.

...

Kyoko sighed. She had been unfortunate. To lose her money when she was trying to save every single penny she has, to be helped by a stranger when she hates it so much to owe someone. But in the end, she can't help but thank that man because he did help her in the store even if she didn't need it.

He was a faker. That much she saw through his kind smile in the shop. It was a practiced one, a smile that was meant to deceive, to make people loosen their guard around him, or even to earn their trust. It was annoying and was giving her the feeling that she was being toyed with. But the last smile he gave out was genuine and it touched his eyes. It was so dazzling that Kyoko finally figured she would prefer dealing with the fake smile rather than that last one. Seeing that made her feel… No. Kyoko cleared her head. In the end, it came down to the fact that she lost thirty-five _argent._ It doesn't matter because she will not see him again.


	7. Chapter 6: in search of the healer

New year is here and I'm back on track. I apologize for the long wait. Here's the latest chapter for the witch and the dark lord. I hope you enjoy it! Please read and review! Thank you!

Disclaimer: I don't own Skip Beat!

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><p>Chapter 6: In Search for the Golden-haired Healer<p>

Over the course of the day, Kyoko had spent her time reading news and studying the maps she had bought later that afternoon while Maria was trying hard to make a simple painkiller. It took a lot of time to convince Kyoko to teach Maria how to make potions but finally, the elder sister yielded, figuring that it would be a good way to spend their time. Kyoko was still deciding where to head next while she watched Maria work. They can move to a southern city and she can work there as an apothecary but that wasn't what she wanted. She wanted to learn more, become stronger so that one day, she can show Shou that she was no longer the weak witch he had thrown away. And she will bring him and his sorceress down. But she can't just drag Maria around. She knows that it will be very difficult for her to defend themselves in these dark times. Conflicted, she went back to studying her map.

"Nee-san, I'm done!" the girl exclaimed as she brought the vial for Kyoko to see.

The liquid was clear with silver residues in the bottom but Kyoko judged it as a very good job considering Maria was still young. She complimented her sister. "This is very well-made, Maria! You're going to be a master in potion-making!"

The girl smiled widely, happy that Kyoko had praised her work. "Of course I will be! I am learning from the best!" Maria twirled in delight and returned to the table, preparing to make another.

Kyoko was heartened. She was lucky to have Maria. Maria was the one who kept her strong when she felt weak, scared and lost. Kyoko's direction now was to look for a way for both of them to survive. She would have to get stronger. If only Obaa-san was still around, she could teach Kyoko all the things she had yet to learn about potion-making and more. She was the best teacher, as far as Kyoko was concerned. But Obaa-san had not come home that evening two years ago. Their golden-haired foster mother had gone to the village to buy supplies and the two sisters had waited for her but she had not returned. Days turned to weeks and months but the witch-doctor had not been sighted anywhere. Kyoko and Maria had cried. They didn't want to believe that she had abandoned them but why could she have not returned? Could she have left them behind like their real mother had done?

It hurt to think about it so Kyoko pushed the thoughts and emotion away. She smiled at Maria who was busying herself.

"Why don't we get dinner? It's getting late already," she offered.

The young girl smiled, hurriedly cleaned up the table and said, "Let's go!"

Together, the siblings walked out of their room and walked down into the tavern. It was crowded but they managed to sit in the long table near the bar. Most of the customers by the bar were drinking the night away though there were some who were engaging in conversation. As they ate, Kyoko overheard the discussion of the bartender and three people seated behind her. She had no interest in eavesdropping into their discussions but their voices were too loud to tune out.

"Have you heard about Lady Iizuka's daughter? Many had said the child had been seen playing in their garden this afternoon," the bartender told the three persons before him.

"How come? The child had been incredibly sick since birth. She couldn't even lift a spoon to feed herself according to the town doctor!" the woman reacted, dubious.

"They might have mistaken someone else's child to be her. Maybe a cousin?" the gray-haired man beside her suggested.

The bartender shook his head. "No. Lady Marga came in this afternoon. She said it was indeed, Lady Iizuka's daughter!"

"That's impossible. Her illness was incurable!" the woman asserted. The gray-haired man agreed with her.

"What he is saying is true," a man in dark trench coat seated beside the lady spoke up. "I saw her."

There were outbursts of disbelief from the pair while the bartender asked what could have cured the girl.

"Two months ago, I've heard that Lady Iizuka had arranged a journey to bring her daughter to the southern valley," the man began. The pair fell silent. "I had no idea what it was that had made her embark on such a trip with a sick daughter in tow and I wasn't that much interested to know so I didn't look into it. However, while I was in the outskirts of town, I met this traveler who claimed that in his journey in the southern valley, he was attacked by a fierce beast. He was severely wounded and couldn't move so he assumed he would die there but when he woke up he found himself in a cottage far from the village. Living there was a golden-haired healer who had tended to him. Despite the severity of his injuries, it took only a week for it to completely heal." The woman attempted to interrupt him but he silenced her by a wave of his hand and continued. "He said she had used medicines he had never known before. When he asked for her name she smiled and told him to just call her a witch doctor. Before he left, she asked him not to tell anyone that she had healed him but how can he not speak of such kindness he had received?"

"Could it be?" the gray-haired man asked in shock before the other can stop him.

"We all know that they all disappeared after the king's death!" the woman exclaimed.

"The king did not die. He disappeared." the man corrected.

"Hmmp! His convoy was attacked and his carriage was destroyed! It has been more than two decades since he left and he has not returned! He's dead!" the woman insisted.

They argued but Kyoko no longer listened to them. Her mind was spinning and her heart was beating faster. A woman with golden-hair who uses medicines that had not been known before. That was the only thing she could think about.

Maria, heart also pounding, held her sister's arm and said in a low voice, "Nee-san, do you think, it's _her_?"

Kyoko didn't know what to answer. She could be mistaken but she wanted to believe that it was _her_. The one they were talking about could be their Obaa-san. Quickly, she stood up, "Maria, just wait here." She walked towards the group and stood before the man in a trench coat. Then she said, "I'm sorry to interrupt but I overheard your conversation and I was wondering if you can tell me more about that healer."

The man looked at her, deliberating, then said, "I don't know much about her, child. What I have said was all I've heard from the traveler and what he said was all I know."

"Did he say where in the southern valley?" Kyoko asked.

He shook his head. "All he mentioned was a cottage far from the village. Nothing more. Why are you so interested, child?"

Kyoko quickly put up her guard. "I'm just really interested in stories about magic and healers and I wondered if I could ever meet one."

The man looked doubtful of her answer but finally shrugged it off. "Child, do not attempt a journey to the south. It is too dangerous for a young girl like you," the man advised.

Kyoko thanked him and returned to her seat. She paid her bill and they went back to their room to pack. Maria was also eager to go. And so the sisters slept that night ready to leave by sunlight in the morning.

To the south were no trains but a stagecoach transported passengers and mails once every three days. Fortunately, for both Maria and Kyoko, a coach was scheduled to leave that morning which will reach the southern village by late afternoon. They had waited two hours for it to be ready and another for it to be filled with passengers before finally leaving. Incidentally, Kanae was one of the passengers. However, when Kyoko asked her why she was heading south, she didn't answer and any attempt for further conversation was dropped.

Without any major mishaps in the road, they arrived three in the afternoon, right on schedule. Kyoko had wakened Maria who had fallen asleep that afternoon after their short meal in the carriage.

"Kanae-san, where are you headed to?" Kyoko kindly asked after they had finally gotten out of the stagecoach.

"It is none of your business," Kanae replied before moving to ask the driver for directions.

"Sir, do you know of a cottage located in this valley far from the village?" she asked and Kyoko who had heard it was surprised.

The driver seemed to think hard for a while and then replied, "I'm sorry, young lady. In all the time I had come here, I have not heard or seen a cottage outside the village. If you have seen the woods on our way here, you would comprehend how dangerous it is to live there."

Disappointed, Kanae thanked the driver, anyway.

Indeed, it was dangerous to live there. In their journey, once they had entered the thick woods, occasionally they could hear noises created by something large that seemed to be following the carriage.

"Kanae-san, could you be looking for the golden-haired healer as well?" Kyoko asked.

The girl was shocked by her question. "As well? You're after the healer?" she responded.

"Yes. My sister and I had been searching for her, that is why we're here," Kyoko answered.

Kanae looked at the siblings for a while. "Why?"

Her defenses up, Kyoko didn't answer. She didn't know why Kanae was looking for their foster mother so she wasn't willing to answer it. Still, it would be safer to travel with her than with only the two of them, Maria and her. Along the way, she might also know Kanae's reasons.

"Well, if you don't want to say it, fine. I'll see you around," Kanae began to walk away.

"Kanae-san," Kyoko called, unaware of her voice becoming deceivingly sweet. "What do you think about travelling together?" Maria, who was standing beside her, looked at Kyoko with confusion.

Kanae turned and stared at her as if she had spoken a different language. "Why would I want to travel with you?"

Kyoko stepped towards her as Maria watched them. "We have the same goal Kanae-san. That is to find the Golden-haired healer. Besides, travelling together is better than alone. Didn't the driver say that it was dangerous."

"I can protect myself just fine. Thank you,'' Kanae coldly replied, though feeling somewhat uncertain.

"I'm sure you can," Kyoko nodded. "Kanae-san, have you heard of that noise following our trip? Don't you think it's much safer to travel with company than alone?" Kanae looked away. Kyoko smiled. "Don't you, Kanae-san?"

Kanae glared at her. Why is it that her thoughts are somewhat hazy? "I think… yes." However, after hearing herself, Kanae was confused as to why she had agreed.

"See?"Kyoko smiled happily. "Then I guess, we'll be companions for a while, Kanae-san."

Kanae felt her uncertainty disappear. She deliberated for a moment. Even if she was formerly against it, indeed, it was safer to travel together. What worried Kanae was the confusion she had felt when Kyoko had suggested it. "Fine. I'll go with you. We'll leave tomorrow morning." she answered.

Kyoko smiled, "Sure, Kanae-san."


	8. Chapter 7: To summon and to cure

Disclaimer: I don't own skip beat!

Thank you for all those who are reading and supporting this story! The review and follows really made me very happy, that is why as much as possible I will be trying to update this story twice a month. Please read and review...

Chapter 7: to summon and to cure

Dawn broke and the three girls had already met outside the inn they had stayed for the night, ready to leave. Before they retired yesterday, the group had asked around the village about what might lead them to the healer but got nothing. So carrying their own stuffs, they decided to just follow the trail into the woods. Kanae, walked ahead of them, wary of Kyoko. She still couldn't understand what she had felt from talking with her that afternoon. So, she avoided conversing with her and let the siblings follow behind her. It was still early and the weather was cold so she hugged herself to keep warm. Once, Kyoko asked her if she knew where she was heading but she didn't reply. Kanae had already thought of how she would track the healer but first she must find a high place where she can start.

Kyoko, on the other hand, was holding Maria's hand and looking around as they walked on. The place was so green and cold. Since, they had entered, Kyoko had spotted a lot of rare plants and herbs that are necessary to make powerful potions. Somehow, seeing all of these plants she had only seen and read about in Obaa-san's books made her feel certain that their foster mother is here. Sometimes, she was tempted to go and pick them but Maria, pulled her hand and told her Kanae was moving farther. And so, they moved on.

As the sun was getting higher and they were getting deeper into the woods where the trail was growing faint, the mist was, somehow, getting thicker. By midmorning, they had reached the end of the trail and for the first time since giving a curt reply to Kyoko's morning greeting, Kanae spoke.

"We must find a high place. From there, I can… do something that may lead us to the healer," she said.

"You can do magic?" Kyoko asked.

Somewhat annoyed, Kanae replied, "Of course I can. I wouldn't go here if I can't protect myself, would I?"

With a sheepish smile Kyoko just nodded.

After resting for a while and looking around some more, Maria exclaimed, "There!" She was pointing to a distant cliff to their left.

"Good job, Maria!" Kyoko said. The young girl smiled.

"Alright. Since we can't climb it directly, we'll go around it, find a less steep route we can walk until we reach the top," Kanae proposed. The two other girls readily agreed.

They did as planned, with Kanae leading them and soon, they found a lower portion of the cliff. As they began to go up, Kyoko noticed that the mist was growing thicker still. She held Maria closer and kept an eye on Kanae, who had slowed down a bit.

"Kanae-san, shouldn't we wait until the mist disappears before going any further?" Kyoko asked the girl before them.

Kanae shook her head. "It's already midday and the sun's probably high up now. Once we get closer to the top, the mist will eventually disappear." Onwards they went.

"Ouch!" Kyoko stumbled, pulling Maria down with her. Vines had tied around her feet without her noticing. Kyoko mumbled about how annoying those vines were as she got up and pulled out a small dagger from her pocket and began cutting them.

"Onee-san," Maria whispered, worried.

"It's alright, Maria. I just have to cut this last one," she did and finally stood up.

Maria moved closer to her sister, now afraid. "Nee-san, where's Kanae-san?"

Only then did she realize that they could no longer see their companion. The mist was so thick that they couldn't see anything much. She hugged the smaller girl and shouted, "Kanae-san? Where are you?" There was no response. "Kanae-san!"

"Do you think she left us?" Maria asked, holding on to her sister in fear that they might get separated too.

"No, no. I think she just didn't notice that we got separated from her. Let's move up and maybe we'll find her there," Kyoko answered.

"But we can't see anything in this mist," the girl complained.

"It's alright. I'm with you. Always," she reassured. She pulled out a ribbon from her bag and it to their hands. Kyoko encouraged the little girl to walk and soon they were moving forward, calling out to Kanae as they go. However, their progress was slow since the mist hindered them. It wasn't any less than before.

Minutes moved faster for Kyoko when she was agitated and worried like she was now. It felt as though they had been searching for hours now and yet, there was no trace of Kanae, no response from her. Her worry exponentially increased when she heard a load roar from their left followed by a scream, farther down from their current position. She knew Kanae needed their help but how can she drag her little sister to danger. Conflicted, Kyoko remained in place until Maria tugged at her hand.

"Kyoko-neesan! Kanae-san's in trouble. She might need our help," the blonde girl said.

"But Maria, I can't bring you there. You'll be put in danger!" She told the girl.

"Would you leave me behind?" Maria asked.

Kyoko's eyes widened at the unthinkable suggestion. "Of course not! You'll be lost!"

"But, nee-san, we need to help," Maria insisted as another roar was heard. Then another, a different one.

Kyoko dreaded to think that Kanae was hunted by two beast. What could she possibly do? Maybe she could help but Maria was too young to be dragged to danger. What was she doing?

Once again, Maria called her sister's attention. "Nee-san. I'll be fine. I'm with you. Always," she looked her sister directly in the eyes, communicating that no matter the danger, she knew that she will be safe. That Kyoko will never allow her to get hurt.

With a heavy sigh, Kyoko nodded and they ran towards where Kanae was.

Kanae was in a dire situation. She was being hunted by the largest black ape she had ever seen. The monster was hiding behind the trees, circling her position. Before her stood a large tiger, as tall as her, ready to pounce at the monster if it ever decides to attack. There was a crack from behind her and she turned just in time to see the tiger jump to stop a tree trunk from crushing her. The tree fell and the tiger landed lightly, a growl escaping its throat. There were rustlings, indicating that the ape had moved and the tiger followed circling protectively around its master.

Then, a roar. The monster ran out from where it hid and the tiger pounced to stop it. Kanae watched as the two beast fought, claws against hands, fangs against fangs. She can feel her energy being seeped away. The tiger bit the monster's arm. In pain, the ape roared and swatted away the tiger towards Kanae who was unable to get away and she was sent flying into the shrubs, a hundred thorns pricking her body. She screamed in pain.

"Kanae-san!"

She heard a girl shout and turned to see Kyoko running to help her and she can't help but curse under her breath. _What is she doing?_ The girl carefully pulled her up from where she had fallen, Kanae, wincing from the pain. Then a loud roar was heard, followed by the sound of cracking trees as the tiger was thrown on them. The monster turned to Kanae and Kyoko.

"Run!" Kanae yelled at the girl though she knew that it's too late. But Kyoko stood before her, looking scared but determined. She reached into her pocket and pulled out a vial, muttered something breathlessly and threw it at the monster that was running straight towards them.

The small bottle hit its face and a there was an explosion as the monster was engulfed by fire. As the monster flailed around, roaring, in a desperate action to kill the fire, Kyoko quickly helped Kanae up to walk away. Kanae, however, remained in place and with her remaining strength willed her tiger to attack the beast and finish it. The tiger did. It bit the ape's neck, unaffected by the fire and soon the ape fell to the ground mangled and still burning. Kanae waved her hand and the tiger disappeared. Maria got out from behind the tree in the direction Kyoko had appeared from and joined them.

"What the hell were you doing!" Kanae angrily yelled at Kyoko as she laid Kanae by one of the fallen logs.

"Helping you, Kanae-san," Kyoko answered as she began to rummage inside her backpack which the little girl had brought.

"You could have easily died." Kanae wanted to scream at her but her strength was fading and her whole body felt as though it was being burned like the ape.

"I did not. Now, stop wasting your energy, Kanae-san. You need it. That plant you fell on is extremely poisonous and since it pricked you in a lot of place, the poison is spreading fast in your body," Kyoko answered as she pulled out an injection from her bag.

Kanae's eyes widened in fear. "What are you going to do with that?" she asked, nervously. She wanted to get away from the girl but she couldn't move her body.

"I have to inject this medicine directly into your body to stop and counter the poison. This won't be enough but it will lessen the burning feeling," she explained as she filled the syringe with the content of a vial.

"Oh, no! You're not putting that in me," Kanae said but knew that she wouldn't be able to stop the girl. She can feel the poison sapping her strength and taking her life.

"Kanae-san, if I don't, you'll die. So please, hold still." Adeptly, she held Kanae's unmoving arm and injected the antidote.

It felt like being pricked again by a thorn but soon the fire in her arm seemed to disappear. Then, from her shoulder and hand. Kanae sighed in relief as the pain from her whole body seemed to dull.

"Maria, pull out the water container and the bandages from the bag please," Kyoko told the girl as she pulled out another vial. Maria complied. "Here, Kanae-san." She handed it to Kanae who reluctantly took it and cringed inwardly at its unusually color. "Drink it. It will help. It will give you energy ."

Kanae gave her a doubtful glance but trusting that the girl was helping her, she drank it and almost cried at the severity of the taste. She felt like throwing it all up. "Are you trying to kill me?" she asked after taking a sip of water.

"I didn't say it would taste good. I said it will help," Kyoko replied.

"I'm never drinking anything you give me ever again," she declared.

Kyoko gave her a sympathetic look before answering. "That's too bad, then. You'll have to drink these if you want to stay alive."

Looking at the vials Kyoko had lain before her, Kanae wondered if it would have been better if she had died fighting the burned down ape. It might have been a better option than the slow and bitter death the girl before her had planned for her.


	9. Chapter 8: stories of their past

Disclaimer: I don't own Skip Beat!

Belated Valentine's to everyone! Here's the new chapter of W&DL. Please read and review.

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><p>Chapter 8: stories from their pasts<p>

Kyoko had finished bandaging her wounds and she helped Kanae into a fresh set of clothes. After taking in the third bottle of medicine Kyoko had prepared, Kanae fell asleep. As she slept, the witch had made more of the medicines she needed to cure poisoned girl. Maria helped as much as she could. It was evening already when Kanae woke up and Kyoko handed her a bowl of soup.

"You didn't put anything else in this, apart from the usual ingredients, did you?" she asked, eyeing the broth warily but seeing nothing out of the ordinary.

Kyoko turned with a smile. "No, Kanae-san. I figured you can use a tasty dinner. You fell unconscious after taking the third vial."

"I thought I was going to die," Kanae told her.

With that Kyoko laughed and Maria smiled. "I was trying to help you, not kill you."

"You could have helped me more by improving the taste," Kanae suggested. Seeing the look on the sisters' faces, she said, "You two, seem to enjoy torturing me."

Maria laughed. "I'm glad you're feeling better now, Kanae-san," the little girl expressed.

"Why didn't you stop you older sister from going? You know it was dangerous. Weren't you scared?" she asked, wondering how the little girl could be accompanying her older sister in such a dangerous journey.

Maria shook her head. "I was scared. But Onee-san was there so I know I'm safe."

"How can children be so naïve?" Kanae muttered.

"Maria is young but she's wiser than most of those in her age," Kyoko told her.

They ate in silence. After a while, Kanae asked, "Why are you looking for the Healer, Kyoko?"

It took Kyoko sometime to recover from the shock at being called by Kanae. "Kanae-san, you –"

Kanae quickly waved her hand. "Yes, yes. I know this is the first time I called you by your name. Now, can you answer my question?"

The twinkle in Kyoko's eyes disappeared; replaced by a sadness that Kanae couldn't understand. The girl seemed extremely sad and Kanae didn't know what to say. That's why she never befriended anyone. She didn't know how to deal with people. "If you don't want to answer it's fine."

Kyoko just shook her head and said no more. She took the bowl from Kanae and cleaned their dishes. She gave Kanae medicine and soon Kanae felt drowsy and fell asleep. Later that night she woke up to find Kyoko feeding the fire more wood.

"Are you hurting?" the girl asked when she saw Kanae sit up. She made her way to check on Kanae. Maria was asleep, leaning on one of the trees around them.

"No," Kanae answered. Kyoko had touched her forehead to see if she had a fever. Fortunately, she did not.

"You have to sleep more, Kanae-san. It will help you recover faster," Kyoko told her and Kanae suddenly felt sleepy.

She knew this feeling, like she can't help but agree to her. Alarmed, Kanae asked, "Wait! What are you doing?"

The look on Kyoko's face was one of utter confusion that Kanae had a strong suspicion that the girl was unaware of whatever she was doing. _Could it be that this girl had power she didn't even know about?_She felt the drowsiness drift away and once again she was completely awake. She didn't mention anything about it because she didn't know what kind of power Kyoko was hiding.

Despite herself, Kanae had begun to trust the girl who had saved her. Unwillingly, she muttered in a voice low enough to hear clearly, "Thank you."

Somehow, Kyoko heard. She smiled at Kanae and said, "You're welcome, Kanae-san. We have to help each other out. We're partners after all."

Kanae thought for a while before finally speaking up. She didn't know what it is that made her want to tell the girl. So she decided she could just blame it at the bitterness of the medicines, the silence of the night, the kindness of the witch before her and her hurting body that placed her in a vulnerable position. "When I was a child, I lived with my mother and siblings in a house in the outskirts of town. Our nearest neighbor was a man, I wouldn't call him old like the others called him. He didn't look that old to me. But even if he lived nearest to us, it was still miles away and we never approached his home. My mother and siblings were scared of him because of the dark rumors that were spreading in town about him.

One evening, I was quite disappointed of the situation in our house that I ran away despite the rain. I was wandering around aimlessly and without knowing it, I reached the cottage where he lived. I was turning back when I found him standing behind me, equally surprised to see a young girl out in the rain, with a silver wolf growling by his feet. He waved his hand and the wolf disappeared. Out of kindness, he invited me in and I, out of fear, was unable to refuse. I didn't know what it was that he saw in me but he decided he would teach me magic and I, eager to learn, agreed. Since then I frequented in his home, finding him a more comforting company than my family. He became my master and I was his diligent student. He taught me all he could about the art of summoning and I looked up to him not only as a teacher but as the father I didn't have. He spoke to me about many wonders and sometimes when he was in a really good mood, he would let slip stories about his journey with his companions. They were people with exceptional skills and powers. But one day, two years ago, I came to his cottage, looking forward to learning more only to find it empty. He was no longer there. And he never came back."

Kyoko, could see the sadness hidden in Kanae's eyes but even before she can speak about her sympathy, the other girl spoke again.

"That is the reason why I was searching for the healer. I believe that she was one of his companions and that she might know where he is," Kanae revealed. She looked at the girl who was staring at her wide-eyed with surprise. Kanae, who didn't know what to say anymore, remained silent.

"Maria and I were orphans," Kyoko began as she sat before Kanae. It only seemed fair for her to talk about her past as Kanae had shared hers. The black-haired girl who was uncertain what to expect from the witch, listened attentively. "Back when we were younger, our mother abandoned us. We waited for her, Maria cried and cried but she never returned. That night, she fell ill and I didn't know what to do. We had no money, I couldn't buy her any medicine. We lived by with what was left in the , the witch-doctor came to town the third day. When I heard of it, I came to her, beg her to cure my little sister. She took pity on me, came and gave us medicine and some money to buy food. I've never been more thankful to anyone in my whole life. When Maria got better I went to look for a way to earn money so that we can survive but no one would accept a child for labor. Disheartened, I went home and found Maria talking to the witch-doctor animatedly. I've never seen her that energetic since our mother left. I wanted to ask the doctor if she would at least come and visit us every time she comes to town but before I could, she turned and asked us if we would want to live with her. I couldn't have been happier. She lived far from the village and since then, we lived with her too. She taught me how to make potions of different kinds, some poisons, some cure, and a bit of magic. She became our mother; we loved her more than we did our real one. But one day, she went to town to get some supplies and she never came back."

Kanae then realized that not only was their goal the same, but as well as their reasons and their past. Kyoko and Maria came here, despite the danger, hoping to find their mother just as she came here hoping to find a clue about her father.

"Amusing, isn't it Kanae-san? That both of us had been led here by the people of our past. We are not so different after all," Kyoko said after the silence.

Kanae simply nodded.

"I didn't know why Obaa-san left but somewhere deep in my heart, I didn't want to believed that she abandoned us like our mother did," Kyoko said, turning to look at her sister who was sleeping peacefully not far from where Kanae lay.

"We'll find that healer," Kane decided. "Until then, we'll be partners," she gave a slight smile to Kyoko before pulling her blanket.

Kyoko returned it, "Good night, Kanae-san." Then she stood and went to sit where her sister lay, watched the fire. It's still long before daybreak.

* * *

><p>Author's Note:<p>

I apologize for those who are waiting for Ren as he has not appeared yet. He's quite occupied for the moment, visiting someone. ('',) Please hold on. Thank you...

clauDeath17_


	10. Chapter 9: the hidden cottage

Disclaimer: I don't own Skip Beat!

* * *

><p>Chapter 9: The Hidden Cottage<p>

The next morning, Kanae woke up trembling from the cold. She saw Kyoko sitting beside Maria, asleep. She must have stayed up all night watching them. Carefully, Kanae moved her arms. It didn't hurt as bad as yesterday. Although she could still feel a dull pain from all the pricks she got, it wasn't intolerable. She was about to stand up when Kyoko stirred and opened her eyes.

"Oh, I'm sorry. I fell asleep. I should be keeping watch," Kyoko said as she stood up to stretch and drive the sleepiness away. When she saw Kanae got up, she went to her. "Kanae-san, you shouldn't stand up yet."

"I can't lie down anymore. It's not like I was severely injured," Kanae told her.

"But Kanae-san. You just got better from poisoning. You're still recovering and you should rest more," she helped Kanae to sit on one of the logs. Kyoko then added a few more wood so to the fire so that it would burn stronger.

Kanae rubbed her hands. "I'm feeling better now. The medicines you gave me last night were effective despite the bitter taste."

She watched Kyoko prepare their meal. She made soup from whatever ingredients she had brought for their journey. After that she had handed Kanae a bowl full of it and bread.

"We should head up, today. Then, I can perform a spell that might help us find the healer," Kanae told her.

Kyoko shook her head. "We can't go yet while you're not yet fully healed. You can't overexert yourself. And performing magic in that state would be dangerous."

"What state? I already told you I'm fine. I don't feel any pain anymore," she responded. Kyoko gave her a dubious look that managed to make her feel guilty for lying and annoyed at feeling guilty. "Besides, it's not good to stay in one place for a long time. We have to go."

"But Kanae-san –" Kyoko was about to reason out but Kanae didn't give her a chance.

It was best not to let her talk Kanae out of it. If she uses that strange power of hers, Kanae might find herself agreeing. "I've made up my mind. But if you don't want to, it's fine. I can go alone."

Kyoko pouted. "That's not fair, Kanae-san. Aren't we partners?" But seeing that Kanae wouldn't bend, she conceded. "Alright. We will go. But if you feel hurt or weak or anything at all, you have to tell me."

Kanae gave a satisfied nod.

When Maria woke up, Kyoko handed her breakfast. She also gave Kanae a vial of potion which tasted better than yesterday's. After they had taken their meal, they broke camp and headed up the cliff.

They all walked together, Kyoko in the middle, Maria holding her left hand. The mist wasn't thick today and as they went up it was disappearing. Yesterday might as well had been a bad day to go. After three hours, they finally reached the top. From up there, one can see the forest stretch below. For Kanae, it was perfect. This will make the search easier. If she can pinpoint the location of the golden-haired witch, they can probably reach her by sundown.

"Let's start –"

"No, Kanae-san!" Kyoko scolded. "You have to rest first. After all that walking, you should be tired."

Sure, Kanae was touched by her kindness and concern but she was seriously getting annoyed of Kyoko treating her as though she's weak. "I'm not tired! Who would be? You insisted on stopping every thirty minutes to rest. That's why it took us long to reach here."

"I was just concern about your well-being," Kyoko answered. Maria watched them as she sat by one of the rocks, drinking water. The little girl never bothered to stop them.

"Look. I am grateful for your concern but I am completely capable of protecting myself, let alone cast a simple spell. And this benefits you too. Didn't you want to find your foster mother?" she responded.

They argued a little more, to Maria's amusement, before finally, Kyoko had to let Kanae do what she want. Kanae, on the other hand, was thankful that in the course of their exchange, Kyoko had not used whatever strange ability she had. So they got ready.

"The spell I'm going to cast is one that traces magic. If magic was used in a place, there will be a faint glow over it." Kanae closed her eyes and concentrated. She felt her consciousness expand over the stretch of land below them. When she can no longer push and search any further, she opened her eyes.

Three different and far apart spots lit up, as though purple fireflies were fluttering above it. The closest to them, Kanae knew that it was where they had confronted the ape and stayed over for the night. The second spot was far from the first, closer to the third. It was to their east, far but as Kanae thought, they would reach it before sundown. If they found nothing there, they can reach the third spot by walking straight in the same direction. That way, they will be able to check which of the two the witch's place was.

"Are those fireflies?" Kyoko asked lowly as she gazed down with amazement. Maria was looking around as well.

"Yes. They appear over the place where magic power was concentrated." Kanae released the spell. "Anyway, we should get moving. If we move now, we can reach that second spot by late afternoon. Let's see what we can find there."

Kyoko, however didn't agree. She told Kanae to rest and so they decided it would be best if they first have their lunch before setting out. Throughout the whole lunch, the girls were silent; their anticipation could be tasted in the air. There was also something that bothered Kanae. During her search, there was one part of the forest that seemed not to exist. It felt like a piece taken out from the whole puzzle. Every time she tried to go over it, it felt like she just skipped or pushed to the next part. She just couldn't feel anything from that place. It was a though it was hidden from her sight. It worried her but she didn't mention it to Kyoko because the other girl might decide that it would be dangerous to go. She knew that they had to reach the witch's place before they encounter anyone who might try to attack them. As soon as they had eaten and their meals had settled in their stomach, they group left.

The sun was about to set and the shadows casted by the trees were already turning the forest dark. In a flask that Kyoko held, glowed a small yellow light that guided the girls as they walked. Leading them was Kanae's tiger. She had summoned it as soon as the forest turned dark despite Kyoko's scolding. They should be close now. Every one of them was watching out for a cottage or any sign of danger.

It was Maria who caught sight of it first. Kanae swore the little girl probably have the keenest eyesight. Maria pointed out the unlit wooden cottage and they made their way there. But as they came closer, it became apparent that no one was inside. Kanae sneaked a glance at the siblings. Maria looked disappointed but Kyoko's expression remained unchanged. Kanae released her summoning spell and the tiger disappeared. They pushed open the door of the cottage.

Inside looked as though no one had been there for months. Dusts and cobwebs had already covered many of the furnitures. Several books were on the table, some covered in ashes, some slightly burned. The cupboard in the kitchen was left ajar and the tableware was also covered with dust. On one long table were flasks, tubes, a few dried leaves and some other things used by potion-makers and alchemists.

Yes, this was the golden-haired healer's cottage. And it was abandoned months before they had arrived.

Kyoko sat on one of the chairs, scanned one of the unburned books. "It was her. She was here."

Maria sat beside her, laid a hand on her sister's. "Did she leave because we were coming?"

Kyoko shook her head but said nothing more.

"I don't think so." It was Kanae who spoke. She was holding one of the burned books, scanning the pages but finding nothing that might help them. "This place looked like it was abandoned for quite some time already. She probably left after helping that traveler."

"Kanae-san, do you think she left after that? But how can that Lady's child be cured if they haven't found her here?"Kyoko questioned.

"Even if they did find her here, it was two months ago that they had left. That would mean this place was abandoned two months ago," Kanae answered.

Kyoko remained silent looking longingly at the books.

"Anyway, let's stay here for tonight. Surely she wouldn't think badly of us if we used her house for one evening," Kanae said.

That evening, they dined in that lonely cottage. After that, they searched the place for any clue that may tell them where the witch had gone but there was nothing. By late evening, Kanae was forced to retire into the long wooden seat. Kyoko remained seated in the kitchen table going through the books. Maria was in their foster mother's bedroom. The little girl fell asleep soon after taking dinner.

She was drifting off to sleep when suddenly, Kyoko ran to her side.

"Kanae-san! Look!"

Alarmed, Kanae quickly got up, automatically searching for danger. She was about to summon her tiger when Kyoko presented an open book close to her face.

She blinked. "What are you –" then she saw what the girl had presented her and color drained out of her face.

It was a small painted picture in the middle of the book. Its edges were slightly burned but the persons in the portrait were identifiable.

A golden-haired woman with dark eyes and kind smile.

A silver-haired man grinning widely, a wolf beside him.

A black-haired woman with piercing red-eyes.

A sapphire-eyed man with a long scar across his left cheek.

An emerald-eyed man who was smiling timidly.

And in the middle of them stood a man in white clothes, his face faded from the picture.

Kanae knew who they were except for the man whose face was erased from the portrait. She had heard stories of them. She heard it from that very same silver-haired man who stood smiling in the picture. He looked younger than Kanae remembered.

Kyoko lowered the book and pointed to the healer. "Kanae-san. This person, she is our foster mother."

Kanae could only nod, her eyes not leaving her master's smiling face. There was always sadness in his eyes since she knew him. That was nowhere in this picture.

"Kanae-san?"

"It's them. He told me about them before. The golden-haired healer, the best alchemist," she pointed in the picture. "The ruby-eyed seer who can travel through dreams, the blue-eyed caster who was the most powerful offensive wizard, the emerald-eyed shield, best in defensive magic and sealing spells. And him. He is the silver medium, the one who can summon any beast. He is my master."

"Who's the man in the middle?" Kyoko asked.

"I don't know who he is. He never spoke about a sixth one," Kanae answered. She took the book from Kyoko's hand, noticing a small note in the bottom of the page. It was written in magic runes.

_Cascada_

"It's a waterfall!" Kanae exclaimed which surprised Kyoko. She looked back in the photo. The picture was taken in that place.

"What do you mean, Kanae-san?" she asked, wondering what caused Kanae's outburst.

"It says here, Cascada. That's a waterfall," Kanae told her.

"Of course Kanae-san. Cascada means waterfall," Kyoko said matter-of-factly.

"That's not what I meant! I knew Cascada means waterfall but I think this is the name of the actual waterfall," Kanae replied.

"You think? She's there?" Kyoko asked, suddenly nervous.

"I'm not sure. But I think this place was important to them. We might find a clue there," Kanae answered uncertainly. Why was it written in magic runes instead of the usual ones?

She traced the runes; it felt hot to her touch. Nervously, Kanae whispered, "Cascada" releasing a bit her magic as though she was casting a spell. The letters glowed with bright white light and both girls gasped as they were both blinded by it.

A rush of images flooded Kanae's thoughts; water falling down, a gold emblem hidden under the rushing water, a dark shadow. Then she heard a woman's voice. "Come."

She was breathless when the vision ended. Glancing at Kyoko, Kanae realized that the other girl saw it as well.

"We have to find where Cascada is," Kanae finally said.

"But the direction of that falls is back where we started," Kyoko said worriedly, color draining from her face.

"You know where it is?" Kanae questioned. The other girl nodded. Curious of the girl's reaction, she asked, "Is there something wrong?"

Kyoko quickly shook her head, a defensive gesture. "No, nothing. About the falls, there was one in the mountains that surrounded our village. Obaa-san one mentioned that the waterfall was simply called Cascada. No one dared to go there because the mountains were home to many monsters and mysteries and eventually the waterfall's existence was forgotten."

Kanae nodded thoughfully. This will be another dangerous journey. "What should we do now?"

Kyoko deliberated. "If we have to go there, then I will. There was also that woman's voice that told us to come."

"Alright. We'll head there and see if we can find anything. If it's a cold trail, then we'll just have to start again from the beginning," Kanae decided. Kyoko didn't argue but she grew noticeably pale. Kanae thought that maybe she was worried because of the rumors of the place being dangerous.

With that said, they both retired for the night. Early tomorrow they would return to the village.

…..

She watched as the carriage drove off, carrying away the three girls who had searched for her. It was not yet time. With a silent goodbye she turned to the opposite direction and walked away.

She walked into the woods, careful that no one had seen her. It's been a few days already since she last went home. She didn't want to come back while the girls were still in town in case they decided to visit the cottage again. So she watched them from a far until they finally decided to leave. Now she can straighten up her house and have a nice cup of tea.

But as she approached the cottage, she knew there was something wrong. Someone was there, apart from those girls. She couldn't feel anyone's presence but she knew someone came and she couldn't be sure if they had gone already. So she hid behind one of the large trees that surround the clearing and watched the house. There were rustlings from behind her and she turned quickly to see a young handsome man with dark hair walking calmly towards her. Alarmed that she haven't even felt his presence before, she stepped back but maintained a calm façade and muttered under her breathe an attack spell to incapacitate him.

The spell simply bounced off. She didn't hear him make any counter spell or feel him release any energy to block her attack. The dark-haired man stopped a several feet away from her.

"This is no place for a handsome young man," she told him in a kind tone.

"I finally found you," he smiled charmingly, as though he was talking to someone he already knew.

"It seems like I'm being found a lot these days," she answered in a relaxed tone. But she watched his movements for any sign that he might attack.

"That's because you're not really doing your best to hide," the man stated conversationally. Knowing that she was wary, he said. "We're not here to fight you. There are just things that I want to ask you about."

"We?" she was surprised. She had not sensed anyone around. If she really thought about it, she couldn't even sense his presence even as he stood before her.

"Yashiro, why don't you join us," he called out.

There were rustles of leaves as a man with blonde hair, wearing glasses, came out from behind a tree and walked towards them. He stopped beside his companion. "I thought you wanted to talk with her alone," he told the black-haired man.

"So you were the one who blocked that attack," the witch eyed the man who was called "Yashiro".

He looked at her directly and with a smile answered, "Yes. I'm pleased to meet you, golden-haired healer."

Looking directly at him, that was when she noticed; behind those glasses were light green eyes that almost turn gray. Quickly, she turned to look at the black-haired man. _His face, his posture_, _there was no mistaking it_, she thought as the realization finally hit her.

"I know who you are," she declared.


	11. Chapter 10: Meeting Two

Disclaimer: I don't own Skip Beat!

* * *

><p>Chapter 10: Meeting Two<p>

Called by a mysterious voice, Kanae, Kyoko and Maria returned to the town where they first met. They arrived late in the afternoon and seeing as they were exhausted from the journey, they agreed to wait for next morning before proceeding to an eastern village that stood surrounded by the mountains where the falls was said to be found. With every mile they travelled, Kanae couldn't help but notice that her black-haired companion grew pale. The younger blonde girl watched her older sister with much worry. Kanae didn't want to pry into their business but the constant sighing of Kyoko had annoyed her as much as her sudden angry expressions aroused her curiosity. She had intended to confront the girls once they reached their hotel room but Maria had beaten her to it.

"Onee-san," the girl cried as soon as they entered the hotel room. "You've already sighed away half of your happiness and fortune."

Kyoko, finally realizing that she was doing a terrible job at hiding whatever was worrying her, tried to comfort her sister with a smile. "Maria, you shouldn't believe what those old ladies in the market said to you back when we were younger. Those were just silly superstitions."

The smile was off, Kanae could see and so the little girl. Maria frowned at her sister and that made Kyoko try more but in the end the smile broke into a grimace. It was the first time Kanae had seen Kyoko upset and more than that, angry for whatever reason. But she found no chance to ask them because Kyoko quickly offered for them to have dinner and the sisters went out with Kanae having no other choice but to follow.

When dinner was over, however, and they had returned to the room, Kanae didn't give them a chance to escape. As soon as she closed the door, she stormed straight to Kyoko and confronted her.

"So, what's troubling you?" she asked directly.

Kyoko had a surprised looked then turned pale. "It's nothing, Kanae-san."

"Don't lie to me." She glared at the girl and Kyoko's worried smile gave away that she was unwilling to talk about the matter. Kanae huffed in annoyance before moving away. "Fine. Keep it to yourself. It doesn't concern me," she said coldly then went to the bathroom to clean herself.

Indeed, she said that it didn't matter to her but she was angry. She was frustrated that Kyoko did not tell her. Kanae had learned to trusted Kyoko, didn't the other girl trust her as well? Whatever. That was why she didn't like dealing with other people. They're just hard to read and hard to deal with. She opened the tap and poured water over her head, cooling it.

...

Kanae treated her coldly, just like before when they had first met. Kyoko felt bad for hiding something from her first friend but the matter about that bastard Shoutarou and the fact that she wouldn't have wanted to go back to her hometown wasn't something she could easily tell Kanae. The reason why they're going back there was to look for their teachers afterall. If she said she didn't want to go, Kanae would leave them and they would also lose their chance to find a clue about the healer. Kyoko wanted to at least apologize but as soon as Kanae left the bathroom after two hours, she went directly to bed. Kyoko told her not to sleep with wet hair but Kanae ignored her. She tried to talk to Kanae this morning but to no avail. She just wouldn't respond to Kyoko and ignored her throughout the whole trip.

Then, it was afternoon. The arrived in the village an hour past noon and Maria and Kyoko wanted to see if the cottage where they lived with the witch-doctor was still there so the trio went. Seeing as it was still standing (the villagers had not decided to burn it down), the group decided to stay there for that day and the next until they can figure out an efficient way to search for the falls. When they got in, Kanae busied herself in checking out whatever books and scrolls that remained. Quickly tidying the kitchen and dining rooms with Maria's help, Kyoko decided to go back to the village to buy supplies that they needed, despite not wanting to. She tried to disguise herself, tying her hair and hiding it under a cap, wearing androgynous pants and a plain shirt, so that no one will notice her.

She went to the market, bought provisions and at the same time kept an ear on anything that may relate about her and Maria, their foster mother, and Shoutarou but there was nothing. Warily, she made her way through the market until she finished shopping. Satisfied with her purchases, she was on her way home when a carriage arrived and stopped by a building not far from where she was. When the door opened, a blonde man got off followed by a pink-haired woman. They were greeted by a middle-aged man who shook the blonde's hand eagerly.

Kyoko's vision turned red. As soon as she saw him she thought: KILL KILL KILL KILL KILL. She was trembling in rage, her hands clenched so hard, a dark aura surrounding her. Shou and his sorceress abruptly turned to her, feeling her dark intentions and the pink-haired woman quickly stood between them, covering Shoutarou.

_Fine! She can protect him all she wants. I'll kill her as well. _Kyoko thought as she glared at them.

_Charge him!_ her inner demons commanded and she would have done so but suddenly, both her hand were strangled tightly and locked on her sides with force that she couldn't defy.

Then a man whispered, "Calm down a bit."

Kyoko had heard that voice before, she was certain. She turned to have a side glance of the man and sure enough, it was him. The man she met in the apothecary shop.

"What are you doing? Let go off me!" she yelled at him.

"Now, now, even if you hate blondes, you shouldn't attack them you know. Why do I have a sister like you?" he said loud enough for those around to hear.

"What are you–"

He covered her mouth. "You shouldn't curse. Haven't I told you that before?" He dragged her off and turned to a corner where they were out of sight and out of earshot even if Kyoko screamed. He let her go and she moved away then glared at him.

"You had no right, Mister, to meddle in my business," she yelled at him.

"That was duke you were planning to attack with a skilled sorceress to defend him. Are you throwing away your life?" he asked her calmly, unfazed by the death glare she was giving him.

"That is out of your concern!"

"You are potion-maker."

"THAT'S OUT OF –" She quickly backed off. "How did you…?"

"You entered the apothecary before, didn't you?" he replied.

Kyoko glared at him.

"You are not trained in using attack spells and you can only use the simplest of defense spells," the man stated matter-of-factly.

"How can you say that? You don't know what I'm capable of!" she denied.

His eyes focused on hers and Kyoko felt like a cornered prey. "You're aura revealed that. It was bursting in every direction, unmanaged and wasted. No trained wizard has an aura like that even the emotionally disturbed ones."

"So what if I'm untrained? I can fight through other means. You had no right to intervene," she told him.

"Indeed. As you have said twice, I had no right to interfere but seeing as you were doing something stupid, I couldn't help myself. Had you fought, you could not have won. At best you would have been injured and humiliated, at worst the sorceress would have hit a vital spot and killed you," he said.

"Even then, you shouldn't have interfered."

"You really do enjoy turning down people's good intention, don't you?"

It reminded Kyoko of that time in the apothecary. Why did this man offered to pay for her then? Why did he stop her from attacking the sorceress and Shoutarou a while ago? She could not understand him. She turned her back on him, intent on walking away.

"See you around, then, ojou-san," the man muttered before walking off to the other direction.

...

"Who could that be?" Shou muttered when the weird siblings disappeared.

"I don't know, Sir. They are not from the village. Probably travellers who just dropped by for the evening," the village chief answered. "I'm sorry for the disturbance."

"You shouldn't allow crazed people to stay. It's dangerous," Shou commanded.

"Of course, Sir." The man said with a bow.

"Well, back to business."

"Ah, yes." The man handed him a brown envelope. "Here are the papers your father had requested, Sir."

Shou took them. He bid the man goodbye and together with the sorceress, rode the carriage.

"Shou what did you think about the girl?" she asked him as soon as the carriage drove off.

"She was plain," he answered, looking out the window.

"That was not what I meant. About the fact that she was about to attack you." she clarified.

Shou snickered. "She was stupid. To attack someone just because they're blonde? How petty can she be?"

"Exactly. Such a petty reason, wasn't it? No one would do that. Maybe there was a deeper reason," The sorceress qualified.

"Who cares? They won't be able to harm me," he said.

She sighed but said no more.

He didn't see the girl's face as it was covered by the hat and he thought she was a boy until her brother appeared and called her "sister". What a weird girl she must be to hate blondes. Maybe a blonde boy had broken her heart and abandoned her for a better girl. If it was so, he couldn't blame him. Who would want a plain girl like her who didn't even have a taste for appropriate clothing? Then, there was the brother. What kind of brother was he to let a sister like that out? He should have locked her up so that she couldn't attack anyone. How stupid could he be? The man annoyed Shou. More than that, Shou hated him as soon as he appeared. He just couldn't pinpoint the reason why.

He waved his hand to banish them from his mind. Who cared about deranged girls who hate blondes and incompetent brothers? He had no time for that. Besides, even if they attacked, none of them could ever harm him. After all, he had a beautiful sorceress to protect him. (Evil laugh)

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><p>Author's Note:<p>

Can anyone guess why Shou hated "the brother"?


	12. Chapter 11: Chased

First, I want to thank those who have read and continued to follow my story the Witch and the Dark Lord. Second, I want to apologize for the very late update. I know its almost one year since I last updated the story. There were circumstances that caused me to be unable to write and upload the chapters and I'm sorry for the late update. I won't bore you with anymore excuses because all of you deserve better than that. So now, I'll present to you the delayed eleventh chapter of the Witch and the Dark Lord. Please read and review.

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><p>Chapter 11: Chased<p>

What happened the day before was tucked away into the back of Kyoko's mind as she trekked up the mountain side with her sister and Kanae early the next morning. Despite seething in anger when she arrived at the cottage after that encounter, she never mentioned Shou or that strange arrogant man. She couldn't forget that thick-skinned Shou and her hatred for him but even that had to be put aside when they discussed about their trip to the Casdaca. Kanae had spoken to her briefly about it and then kept her distance. She was still angry about Kyoko not sharing anything about her past. And even if Kyoko didn't like Kanae being angry at her, she held her tongue and said nothing about it.

The girls had begun their trip by following the riverbank where Kyoko used to play with Shoutarou. It had thrown Kyoko into a dark mood to remember those sunlit memories from years ago and she never failed to criticize her naiveté as she looked at the crystal clear water. However, moving upstream was the most logical method to find the waterfalls. And they needed to find it. Whoever it was that beckoned them to come here, was the link they were holding on to finding their foster mother and Kanae's master.

The morning was cold and the mist was slowing them down. Vaguely, Kyoko was amazed how her life had turned from that of a simple witch to a hiker. She looked around at the abundance of green, the tall imposing trees with their trunks covered in moss and ferns, shrubs both helpful and poisonous. She knew she could do a lot of potions using these plants. Maybe she should sell some of the potions she made. It would provide her some money to support herself and her sister.

She stopped when Kanae and Maria had stopped. Again, their path was blocked by a thick bush of poisonous shrubs. It troubled her that the plants here were forcing them to slowly move farther and farther from the riverbank.

"We must turn further to the left," Kanae said with her frown deepening.

"But we have to stay close to the river as much as possible to find the falls," Kyoko murmured mostly to herself.

Kanae heard and turned to glare at her. "I know that. But as you can see, we can't continue on here. Unless you want to be poisoned. I'm not up for that."

"That's not –" Kyoko was about to explain but Kanae had stridden off to the left following the line made by the shrubs. The siblings exchanged a look and went after her. They walked on, keeping an ear out for the sound of rushing water. When they finally found a break big enough for them to pass, they went on to the direction they formerly had. The sound of water was faint so Kyoko had to strain her hearing. They did their best to get closer to the river using the safest route they could find. But it seemed that they were being led away and deeper into the forest.

Kyoko who was at the rear end was the first one to hear the rustle of leaves behind them. The hairs at the back of her neck rose. She knew that danger was following them. She quickened her pace and grabbed Maria's arm which made the younger girl glance up to her in surprise and confusion.

"Nee-san?" she asked as Kyoko dragged her to walk closely with Kanae.

"Kanae-san," the witch half-whispered. "There's something following us."

As soon as Maria heard her sister's words, she looked around frantically, obviously scared.

Kanae's steps quickened as she looked to the sides. They were surrounded by tall trees and shrubs. IF anything was following them and was hiding behind the vegetations, they wouldn't be able to know where it was until it decided to strike. She strained her ears to listen to any unusual sound but she heard none. She looked at the black-haired girl beside her. "Are you sure? I don't sense anything."

Kyoko was obviously alarmed. "I heard some rustlings from behind us a moment ago."

"Maybe it's just some squirrel?" Kanae asked.

"It didn't sound like one," Kyoko answered with certainty. She didn't want to sound so jumpy but the ominous feeling she had wouldn't go away.

They maintained their quickened pace, Maria struggling to match them. Kanae was about to question her again when they heard it. There was rustling of leaves to their left and a low hiss that brought goosebumps to the three horrified girls. It wasn't the sound of a normal snake or whatever animal that hissed. Whatever it was, it was big enough to make a loud hiss that could be heard clearly even if they were several meters away from it. The trio understood that they were not only being followed but hunted.

They stopped and Kyoko held Maria close as Kanae had summoned her huge tiger in a quick silent spell. It appeared over a magic circle before it leaped to their side and let out a loud roar to where they had heard the hiss. There was no response but the tiger continued to growl as it crouched low, ready to pounce. The three girls didn't dare to move. Would their hunter attack?

They heard another hiss from the monster which the tiger answered with a louder growl. Then, rustling of leaves. Was their enemy moving closer? But the sound seemed to be getting farther away. After several tension-filled seconds, the tiger finally relaxed its stance. The girls let go of the breath they were unintentionally holding. Kyoko loosened her hold on Maria. Kanae went to run her hand on the large tiger's fur.

"Is it gone?" Kyoko asked in a whisper as though she was afraid their hunter would hear them.

"Yes. It must have run off, whatever it was," Kanae said. She looked back to her companions and thought deep. "We can't be sure that it won't decide to come back and attack. We should hurry. Bring Maria here. She'll ride the tiger. That way we'll progress faster."

With a pat from Kanae, the tiger lay down as Kyoko brought Maria and lifted her up. The blonde girl climbed up the tiger and sat on the hollow between its shoulders. It was a good thing that the young girl wasn't scared of riding a big beast. They began walking again. There was no other sound apart from their steps and they maintained the silence, keeping an ear out for the sound of the river and the possibility that their hunter had returned.

The sound of the river was growing louder and the group had known that they were moving closer to it. Breaking the silence, Kyoko had proposed that they take a short break when they reach the bank and hesitantly, Kanae agreed. They needed to take a rest after all that hiking.

It happened very fast. The tiger pounced before them, blocking the girls' advance and roared. Fortunately, Maria managed to remain on the beast by hugging the tiger and clutching its fur so hard her knuckles were white and staying low. They heard movement across the fallen leaves. Even after several long seconds, it didn't disappear this time. It was louder than before which meant that it was closer to them now. The unseen monster let out an angry hiss that made the hair on the back of their neck stood. The tiger responded with a roar. The monster remained hidden in the bushes but it was circling them.

"Nee-san!" Maria cried out in fear.

"Quick!" Kanae grabbed Kyoko's arm and they jumped onto the tiger's back as the beast's master willed it to turn and run. With a great leap, the tiger launched itself into a sprint. They sped through the forest, crouching low behind the tiger it ran as fast as it could, evading the gigantic trees by inches. They heard an angry hiss as the monster followed them.

"It would catch up to us!" Maria cried.

Without properly thinking about it, Kyoko pulled out a vial from her pocket and threw it behind them. She shouted, "Cover your ears!" Kanae and Maria did just in time before the vial touched the ground and exploded with a loud bang that almost deafened them. Fire began to spread ravaging the plants and the trees fell loudly to the ground as the flames lapped on their trunks. But by then, the girls had been far away already and they hoped that the fire had managed to stop their pursuer.

After running for miles, they finally stopped. There was no sign of their pursuer and Kanae was getting tired. But now they faced a big problem. They were lost in the mountain with no idea how to find the waterfalls. As they all stood in the small break of the trees, Kyoko thought how to find the river. It would be risky to go back since they had no idea of what happened to their enemy.

"Kanae-san, what are we going to do now?" she turned to the black-haired girl beside her. Kanae was obviously exhausted from maintaining her summoning spell. She had momentarily released it under Kyoko's insistence despite the fact that it would leave them vulnerable.

"We'll have to find the river again. Somehow," she knew they were lost; she had lost track of their direction in the frenzy to escape. She frowned.

"Over there," Maria muttered. The blonde girl was facing to their right.

Surprised by her sister's statement, Kyoko turned her attention to Maria. "What is it Maria?"

"The waterfalls. I think it's over there," Maria fidgeted when the two looked at her.

"Why?" Kanae-asked.

Maria blushed. "Can't you hear it? The rumbling sound?"

Both older girls exchange looks. They closed their eyes to listen for the sound Maria was talking about but they heard nothing except the soft chirping of birds and the sway of leaves as the wind blew.

"Maria, are you sure?" Kyoko questioned.

"I…" the blonde girl hesitated. But when she looked up to meet her sister's eyes, her eyes were full of certainty. "I just think I heard it. It was faint, but I heard it."

Kyoko looked at Kanae. They were both deciding whether to go or not. Finally, Kanae sighed.

"Nothing will happen if we stay still. We'll head that direction and find higher ground. If whoever it was that summoned us knows how to use magic, I can use that spell from before to find her."

With that decided, they headed towards the direction Maria had pointed.

…

Kanae didn't believe that they would find the waterfalls in the direction Maria had pointed. But moving was better than standing still and she kept an eye out for a cliff they could climb. From there she could cast a spell that detects magic. This may not lead them to the waterfalls but directly to where that woman who had summoned them was.

As they moved further however, she became more and more frustrated. There was nothing but tall trees and she doubted that climbing one would give her a good view of the landscape. But she never voiced out the frustration as she followed the siblings. She must have been crazy for following the lead of a child.

After hours of walking, she finally heard it. It was faint, which meant that they were still far, but there was no mistaking it. It was the sound of water rushing. She glanced at Maria and knew that it had been impossible for her to hear the rumbling from where they were. But she had led them to the right direction and Kanae couldn't dismiss it as mere coincidence or luck even if she wanted to. Would it be preposterous to assume that the young girl bore some hidden ability when her sister also seemed to have a power that she wasn't even aware of? Who could they possibly be? It was Kanae's main motivation why she wanted to know about their past.

Kanae didn't miss Maria's smile as she turned to her older sister. Kyoko returned it and they hurried. Silently, Kanae followed them. As they moved forward, the sound grew louder and louder. It was like thunder. Finally, they saw a break in the trees. Both Maria and Kyoko broke into a run. Even Kanae felt the excitement and went after them. When they finally got out of the shadow of the trees, Kanae saw the clear water glistening as it rushed along. The sun was already high up in the sky but they weren't able to notice it inside the forest. The water's current was so strong. Kanae's eyes followed the flow, looking to her right and saw the end of the bank. She ran towards it and stopped short. They were standing on top of a cliff and she watched as the water from the river where she stood cascaded down into the waiting pool below in a loud rush and continued to flow down the river path. On the sides of the river bank were trees and shrubs that glitter green under the sunlight. It was a rare and beautiful sight.

"Wow," was all Kyoko could mutter as she and Maria stood beside her and Kanae couldn't help but agree. But after the momentary awe at this rare sight, Kanae's mind quickly moved to searching for what they came for. Anything that may resemble a home for the person who had called them. Looking From up here, she could see clearly all that was below. She casted her spell, the one she had used once when they were searching for the golden-haired healer. She waited expectantly but even after a few minutes, there was no reaction, no purple glow from the fireflies that indicated magic being used in this place. There was no sign of any person or house anywhere below. So she looked around the cliff they were standing on. But even there was no sign at all.

"There's nothing here," she said in disappointment to Kyoko who finally managed to recover from being amazed.

"What do you mean, Kanae-san? We found the waterfalls," she said uncomprehendingly.

Kanae sighed in annoyance. "We didn't come here for sightseeing. Do you remember what we came here for?"

Realizing that, Kyoko said, "Oh! We have to look for that person who could tell us where our foster mother was!" Frantically, she looked around and frowned. "What should we do now, Kanae-san?"

"We'll –"

There was a loud angry hiss and the three girls watched in terror as a huge black snake slithered out of the forest not far from where they were. Its body was covered with black scales and was a thick as the largest tree trunk they have ever seen. Its side was partly burned; it was probably hit by the explosion Kyoko had caused. However, it had followed them despite setting an explosion and running away from it. In a quick spell, Kanae's tiger appeared. The snake didn't wait and attacked. The tiger managed to evade it and sink its teeth on the snake's long body. With a hiss and a growl, both monsters tumbled off into the water, writhing against each other. As the snake tried to coil its body around the tiger, the tiger agilely jumped away before it could be captured and pounced to bite on the snake.

Kyoko quickly grabbed Maria's hand and ran. When she looked back, she found Kanae had not moved from where she stood and was watching her tiger battle the snake. Kyoko yelled, "Kanae-san! Let's go. We have to run!"

Kanae quickly looked at her. "Go!"

"But Kanae-san!"

The struggle between the two beasts continued and Kyoko understood that Kanae couldn't go. If she did, it won't take long before the tiger disappeared and they would be pursued by the huge snake. But Kyoko knew that Kanae was already tired and was nearing her limit. She had used much of her power already from the chase earlier and had casted the spell for detecting magic. It won't be long before she lost consciousness because of exhaustion.

"Go!' Kanae yelled. Her attention was away from the fighting monsters that she didn't see the snake's big body move towards her.

"Kanae-san, look out!" Kyoko impulsively ran towards her and threw a vial that burst into flames as soon as it broke on the snake's body. A loud hiss escaped the snake as it withdrew back into the water. The tiger had jumped off to the bank to avoid the snake's bite. But the snake pursued it and the two began their deadly dance again.

"Here, Kanae-san," Kyoko pulled another vial from her pocket and handed it to Kanae. "Drink it. Quick."

Kanae did and felt a bit of her power return. "Get away from her. Hurry."

Kyoko wouldn't have left but she remembered her sister. She couldn't leave Maria in danger. She must somehow find a safe place to hide her and return to help Kanae. "Maria!" Kyoko went to her sister and pulled the younger girl. Both ran. But Maria's hand slipped from Kyoko's hold. The blonde girl had tripped and fallen on the ground.

"Onee-san!" the young girl cried.

Kyoko ran back. In their haste to escape, they both failed to notice that the fighting beast had tumbled off the river and were struggling closer to them. Before Kyoko could reach her sister, the snake's long tail struck Maria which sent the young girl flying off the cliff with a scream.

"MARIA!" Kyoko shouted as she ran towards her sister.

"KYOKO!" she barely heard Kanae yelled but she turned and saw a thick black tail swinging towards her. She was about to meet the same fate as her sister and Kyoko closed her eyes knowing that she was going to fall to her death.


End file.
